Among the habits essential to a good character, is moral independence. We hear much said about being independent in regard to property. Some persons think that condition all-important. But it is only so, if it can be proved indispensable to a higher and nobler independence—that of character. Let us inherit a patrimony, or earn a fortune by industry and economy, or by the power of superior talents; we shall still be miserably dependent on others, if we do not form our own opinions, as respects our duty, and practise what we feel to be right, and not merely what others tell us is right.
We should first understand in what true independence consists. It is not eccentricity, or oddity, or affectation; nor is it an unreasonable pride and confidence in ourselves. We sometimes see boys, at school, who put on airs, and pretend to be very independent in all they say and do. There is no virtue in this. Ann is called very smart, because she is not afraid to speak her mind, as she terms it, about everybody and everything. She does it, when she knows it will give others pain. This is not true independence.
Sarah is always saying queer, strange, and, what some call, independent things. But she does this merely for display. She is very dependent, for she lives on the opinion of others. She is always imagining what people will say of her. Another girl is trying to be eccentric. If she can find out what her companions expect her to think, or do, or say, she will strive to think, act, or speak, in exactly the opposite way.
True independence is a habit of forming our own opinions on all subjects, without regard to those of our neighbors. It leads us, under all circumstances, to think, speak, and act according to what we believe to be our duty. We should never wait for others to act, through fear of doing differently from them. It is our duty to be considerate of the feelings of others, and to be prudent and accommodating where their happiness is concerned. But if we feel any course to be right, we should always pursue it, let us suffer as we may from the unjust censure of others.—English Magazine.
The Black Skimmer of the Seas.
This bird, which is sometimes called sheerwater, is a lover of the ocean, and spends nearly his whole life in skimming along its surface, or in sitting upon its shores.
A person, on looking at the creature’s bill, might think it a very clumsy contrivance; for the lower mandible, or jaw, is a great deal longer than the upper one. People used to think that there was some mistake of nature, in giving this bird what seemed to them so inconvenient a tool for getting a living with. But this was only one of those instances in which ignorance led to presumption, and presumption to folly. A better knowledge of the sheerwater’s ways of life has served to show, that in this case, as in all others, the Author of nature has shown wonderful skill in adapting means to ends; in supplying His creatures with the best possible contrivances for the trade or profession they are to follow.
Now, the black skimmer is made for a fisherman; he is made to feast upon shrimps, and small fishes of various kinds, that live near the surface of the water. Accordingly, he is provided with a bill, the lower part of which is the longest, and which he can dip in the water while he is skimming close over its face. In order to prevent this from impeding his progress, it is shaped like the blade of a knife, and thus it cuts the water with ease. As he speeds along, his bill scoops up the little fishes, and by the impetus of his flight, they are carried along in his bill, and swallowed as he goes.
No better proof of the success of the ingenious contrivance furnished by nature to the sheerwater can be needed, than that he is a lucky fisherman, and seems to enjoy an almost perpetual banquet. His wings are made of vast length, on purpose to assist him in sustaining his continued flight; and thus he seems to sail as if the wind were made on purpose for him; and he feasts as if the wide ocean were his larder.